Large Hadron Collider smashes own energy record
The Large Hadron Collider has tripled the amount of energy it usually creates, with CERN announcing 3.5 trillion electron volts have passed through the machine's tunnels.
Two 3.5 trillion electron beams have been, er, beamed in both directions through the tunnel and now all that's needed is for the beams to be smashed together in a bout of scientific awesomeness.
This is set to happen in the next few days, with scientists hoping they will uncover more information about dark matter and energy as a whole.
Sound design
"At just after 5:20 this morning, two 3.5 TeV proton beams successfully circulated in the Large Hadron Collider for the first time," explain CERN on its website.
"This is the highest energy yet achieved in a particle accelerator, and an important step on the way to the start of the LHC research programme."
Speaking about the achievement, CERN's Director for Accelerators and Technology, Steve Myers, said: "Getting the beams to 3.5 TeV is testimony to the soundness of the LHC's overall design, and the improvements we've made since the breakdown in September 2008."
In a statement about the LHC's power, CERN Director General Rolf Heuer, notes that the energy beams the LHC is delivering at the moment is quite staggering, explaining: "LHC's availability for the operators was over 65 per cent: it usually takes a new accelerator years to reach that level of availability."
Let just hope they know what they are doing as we don't want the thing to break down. Again.
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ELSPA to become UK Interactive Entertainment Association
The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) will soon be known as the UK Interactive Entertainment Association, with the gaming body keen for its name to reflect its role.
ELSPA will continue as it is until the summer, with the association gathering feedback from its members before it is rebranded.
"The ELSPA Board proposed the change to the organisation's name to reflect the evolving and expanding nature of the industry, which the association exists to represent, and to encompass the new areas of activity that will be undertaken," said the official statement.
Continue as ELSPA until the summer
"The organisation will continue to operate as ELSPA, whilst the trade association and its brand develop to reflect the needs of the industry going forward," it continues.
"ELSPA will be engaging regularly with its members during the process to learn their views and wishes for the new organisation.
"The process will be completed before the summer. After this time the trade association's new mission and image will be unveiled."
ELSPA, of course, hit the headlines recently when the government agreed with its backing of PEGI as the ratings system for games rather than the BBFC.
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Music delays the release of GTA IV DLC for PS3
Sony PS3 and PC users waiting with bated breath for GTA IV's expansion packs to hit the UK will have to wait that little bit longer after it was announced that they will no longer be out in March.
Changes to the game's music has meant that the DLC has been put back a fortnight, with Rockstar apologetic about the delay.
"Due to a last minute game submission request from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to edit some of the in-game Liberty City radio station, television, and internet content - we are forced to delay the worldwide release of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City for both PlayStation 3 and PC for an extra two weeks," explained Rockstar on its blog.
"The new release date for Episodes from Liberty City - and the two downloadable episodes The Lost And Damned and The Ballad Of Gay Tony - on those platforms is now April 13th in North America and April 16th in Europe."
Tough decision
Since Microsoft bagged an exclusivity deal, it has seemed like an eternity for The Ballad Of Gay Tony and The Lost And Damned to hit the PS3 and PC.
Rockstar said the delay was a "tough decision" and even though it was only the European version that needed changing Rockstar wanted "everyone to experience multiplayer simultaneously, take part in online events together, be on level ground on leaderboards, etc."
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T3 launches mobile app reviews site
T3 has launched T3 App chart, with reviews of over 400 application for iPhone, Android, Nokia and Windows Mobile.
T3.com which, like TechRadar, is part of Future Publishing, allows users to give their rating to the featured apps alongside reviews written by T3's mobile experts.
BlackBerry and Samsung apps will be coming soon to the site, with 50 new apps rated and reviewed each month.
Phenomenal rise
Kieran Alger, editor of T3.com says: "There seems to be no stopping the phenomenal rise of apps.
"The promise that all life's little problems can be solved at the click of a few buttons is really seductive but with the burgeoning apps stores comes the problem of having to sort the good from the bad and the frankly ugly.
"With the T3.com/appchart, combining expert reviews and user ratings, we're out to make sure people can find apps that are genuinely worth downloading.
"I think we're one of the first places on the web to offer reviews of apps across the majority of platforms.
"That means users can compare the strength of the apps stores before they head out to buy a handset."
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In Depth: What Silverlight 4 means for you
Silverlight does a lot more than playing video; it's on 60 per cent of all PCs worldwide, apps from eBay listing tools to social networking clients are showing up – and Silverlight runs on Macs, PCs, Linux (through Mono) and soon on Symbian, MeeGo and Windows Phone.
Microsoft launched a release candidate of Silverlight 4 this week at the MIX conference and while you won't want to upgrade just yet (the RC is aimed at developers, the final version will be here next month and some apps built for Silverlight 3 don't yet run in the RC), when you do you'll get apps with lots more features.
The Silverlight plugin is still only a 5MB download and as well as running in IE, Firefox, Opera and Safari there's now a version for Chrome.
Silverlight 4 applications start more quickly and Microsoft claims they run 200 per cent faster than in Silverlight 3. Long lists scroll faster; Corporate Vice President Scott Guthrie told us he asked his team to show him a list box with a million items scrolling at 60 frames per second.
The Deep Zoom super-fast super-smooth zoom into images (that can turn into other images when you get to the detail) now works with the Pivot tool for exploring huge amounts of data (first seen at PDC last year).
Multi-touch, HD video
Apps can use multi-touch and if you're playing DRM-protected media in Silverlight that can now include H.264 – the support for a protected video path from the internet to your screen makes it likely that we'll see more commercial video services.
If you're watching HD video or playing a game and you want to do it full screen on one monitor while you have web pages or work applications on the other, you'll like the option to pin apps full screen to one monitor.
In previous versions you could have a Silverlight app full screen on one monitor but it would jump straight back to normal size as soon as something happened in a program on the other screen (like you answering an email).
Right-click on a normal Windows app and you get a context menu; with Silverlight 4 you can get that in an app too, instead of just the plugin menu; this makes Silverlight apps much more powerful and controllable.
Apps can have copy and paste and drag and drop too. They can now use a webcam and microphone for streaming or recording; expect to see video conferencing and chat apps built in Silverlight.
Seesmic Desktop going to Silverlight
Silverlight let apps run in their own window, outside the browser – and even when you aren't online. Seesmic has just announced that it's moving its popular Seesmic Desktop Windows app to Silverlight – which means it will run on the Mac too.
With Silverlight 4 those apps can be more powerful; they can run HTML directly and use notification windows to tell you something is happening. If the Silverlight app plays DRM-protected media, you can do that when you're offline as well. And if they're digitally signed, 'trusted' apps can read and write files to the user's Documents, Music, Pictures and Video folders (on Mac as well as Windows).
They can work with peripherals and send information to other apps, so your Silverlight app can open Outlook to send email or export directly to XML. And if you're running a Silverlight game full screen, you finally get full keyboard access – so you can have proper keyboard shortcuts for game actions.
They can also get rid of the Silverlight 'chrome' and have their own look and feel The Silverlight Facebook app and the eBay Simple Lister announced at MIX do this, leaving little trace that you're using Silverlight at all. With the best Silverlight apps, you might not know it's Silverlight.
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Orange and HMV announce mobile games store
Orange has announced that it is launching a gaming service in conjunction with HMV.
The obviously names HMV Mobile Games, powered by Orange, will open next week to provide users with java-enabled handsets from any network with games.
The library of games runs to 400 games ranging from big names like Fifa Manager 10 to the omnipresent Tetris.
Games range in price from £1 to £5 and users will be able to download free demos.
Top billing
Although the service is available to anyone with a java-enabled handset, Orange customers will be billed direct, whereas other networks have to use a special billing system.
"Orange is proud to be introducing this new service in strategic partnership with HMV, which will enable both parties to deliver greater value, products and services to our customers," said Stephen Harris, Business Development Director, Orange UK.
"It will also allow us to increase our reach in mobile gaming and build on our success as the number one mobile gaming operator in the UK.
"Our partnership with HMV is a key part of our strategy to grow and evolve our business, while giving consumers even more convenient ways to play games on their mobile phone."
HMV mobile games goes live from Friday 26 March. For more information, visit www.hmv.com/mobilegames.
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Viacom: YouTube used 'copyright protection as ransom'
The spat between YouTube and Viacom has ended up in a very public mud-slinging match with Viacom hitting back at comments made on the video upload site's blog.
Just yesterday, YouTube accused Viacom of 'roughing up videos' to hide the fact the company was uploading content to a site it was suing in the courts for $1 billion.
"For years, Viacom continuously and secretly uploaded its content to YouTube, even while publicly complaining about its presence there," explained Zahavah Levine, YouTube Chief Counsel on the blog.
Red herrings
Viacom has hit back stating that YouTube are in the wrong, noting in a statement: "Google and YouTube had the technology to stop infringement at any time but deliberately chose not to use it.
"They would only offer to protect Viacom's content if Viacom agreed to license those works, effectively holding copyright protection as ransom for a license."
The statement goes on to point the finger, saying: "The law is clear that Google and YouTube are liable for their infringement.
"The statements by Google regarding Viacom activities are merely red herrings and have no relevance on the legal facts of this case."
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In Depth: Are you addicted to your iPhone and is it screwing up your life?
Do you reach for your iPhone first thing before giving your wife a good morning kiss? Do you spend more time looking at your shiny new 3GS in bed than reading one of the growing pile of great books next to you? Do you get more excited about new apps than you do about new albums?
I do. To my shame. My name is Adam. And I am an App-oholic.
I first developed signs of this impending addiction early last year, when I finally kowtowed and bought myself an iPhone 3G. At the time I wasn't entirely sure why I wanted one, other than thinking it would be useful to be able to get online now and then to use Google Maps. And to check my Gmail. And to play Super Monkey Ball, of course.
Soon enough I had, I thought, exhausted the fun to be had downloading the numerous free apps from the App Store, 99 per cent of which were either a complete waste of time or, at best, a fun diversion for a few minutes. Party trick gimmicks.
APP-OHOLIC: Is the iPhone the most addictive gadget yet?
But then I installed the superb RSS reader NetNewsWire, which I use constantly for staying on top of technology and gaming news feeds for work. And then I started idly checking out Twitter via Tweetdeck…
A few weeks later I found myself having a heated conversation with a colleague in a pub about the relative merits of the new Tweetie (£1.79) over Tweetdeck (free, but not as good). By that point, I realised that I was already lost…
Gadget and gaming addiction
I have managed to devise a number of cunning coping strategies to manage my iPhone use (I switch it to silent in the cinema and I make sure I'm not obviously looking at it when my wife is directly addressing me), but gadget and gaming addiction really is no laughing matter.
Technology is making too many people more fearful and anxious than ever before, while increasing numbers of teenagers and young people spend way too much of their time sitting alone in their bedrooms playing videogames and updating Facebook, creating fun and cool online personas for themselves, at the expense of their real-life ones beyond the screens.
CONNECTIVITY DISORDER: Do you suffer 'disconnect anxiety'?
TechRadar spoke with a number of experts in the areas of games, internet and mobile phone addiction to find out more about some of the key issues at stake.
"This is a psychological addition, which is the need to engage in an activity of some kind," according to Dr. Nigel Holt, Author and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Bath Spa University. "It's a compulsion. I wouldn't be at all surprised if addiction to gadgets such at iPhones or Blackberries might not cause similar feelings as addictions to other things.
"Those addicted to gambling, for instance, show withdrawal just as do those addicted to smoking, so imagine how those addicted to gadgets must feel when they leave their iPhone at home by accident."
Holt thinks a major problem is that "gadgets are all around us now" likening this to "how someone addicted to smoking feels every time they see someone light up, or when they see things they associate with smoking, like matches, or ashtrays" which, in psychology, is called 'cue-reactivity' where something associated with the addiction makes us feel withdrawal from it.
"The assumption that new technology ultimately improves the quality of daily life is not proven," argues Northampton Business School's Professor Nada Kakabadse, author of recent book Technology Overload: Explaining, Diagnosing and Dealing with Techno-Addiction. (Go here for a PDF download).
"Indeed there is increasing evidence that it destroys as many valuable customs as it supports," she adds. "Yes, new ICT enables businesses to communicate globally in seconds, but it also eats into valuable time in countless transactions with little benefit emerging."
TECHNO-ADDICT: People work harder to keep their jobs (pic courtesy: Kakabadse)
In a recent study, Kakabadse interviewed 360 knowledge workers from a variety of UK and US organisations and concluded that around two thirds suffered from technology overload, while one third exhibited 'techno addiction'. She highlighted the following signs of technology addiction to watch out for:
- Over use of ICT or gadgets to the exclusion of other activities
- Prolonged concentration on ICT-related activities, often ignoring warnings from others of excessive time spent online and
- 'Connectivity disorder', involving checking for messages or sending trivial texts just to feel 'connected.'
On the flip side, many argue that technology allows us to be more productive and to multi-task better than ever before, yet Kakabadse sees dangerous "cognitive and emotional switching costs" incurred with this.
"Humans can only cope with only seven or so tasks simultaneously," she argues, "whereas electronic gadgets are limited only by their processor speed. Within such a context individuals are increasingly overloaded by a bombardment of communication."
Work-play boundary blurring
There is an increased blurring of the boundaries between using your gadgets for work, and using them for personal pleasure and play. There is also, as Kakabadse identifies in her book, "the parallel pressure to express oneself individually through technology – to make statements about status, or hold conversations which forge new friendships or sexual relationships."
The combination of persuasive marketing messages from the likes of Apple combined with peer pressure to not want to feel left out adds to the many pressures from work-based commitments - what Kakabadse refers to as "glorifying a 24/7 work and response pattern, especially via the internet, accelerated by the leadership of increasingly 'techno-savvy' executives who want greater efficiency from technology."
Or, put simply, fear of failure.
These are the pressures that lead to what is referred to as 'techno-stress' or 'Information Fatigue Syndrome' (IFS), "the extreme strain people feel when their personal space is increasingly invaded by ICT innovation. Peace and quiet is irrecoverable."
Kakabadse asks us one key question: "Where does the geekdom stop and the techno-addiction start?"
Stanford University iPhone study
Stanford University recently carried out some research into the phenomenon of iPhone addiction, in which Professor Tanya Luhrmann and her team of researchers interviewed 200 college students in a survey to find out more about their iPhone use and habits.
Somewhat worryingly, on a scale of one to five, where five is full blown addiction and one is not addicted at all, ten per cent of the respondents ranked themselves as a five, while 32 per cent who said they weren't completely addicted were worried that they soon may be.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS: 1 in 10 said they considered themselves addicts
Other telling figures from that survey show that 85 per cent use the iPhone as their watch, 89 per cent use it as an alarm clock, 75 per cent fall asleep with the phone next to them and 69 per cent were more likely to leave their wallet behind. 41 per cent said that losing their iPhone would be tragic and 30 per cent said it was a "doorway into the world."
Most intriguingly is the way in which the students talk of the affections they have for their iPhone, talking about the device as if is an extension of their own bodies. 9 per cent have patted the iPhone; 3 per cent don't let anybody touch their iPhone; 3 per cent have named their iPhone; 8 per cent thought their iPod was jealous of their iPhone. And so on.
Not an unhealthy addiction
What is slightly encouraging is the fact that Professor Luhrmann doesn't think that it is necessarily an unhealthy addiction, more the fact that the students just like their iPhones a lot (74 per cent of respondents thought said it made them feel 'cool').
Following the recent research, Luhrmann also told TechRadar that while "internet addiction is a new category in the American psychiatric nosology (DSM5) and that while people use technology in ways that are detrimental, she did not interview people in ways that would make that clear, and there is always a complex line between health and illness.
"Do people use iPhones and email in ways that are detrimental to face to face relationships? Sure, and our data support that. Does email lead to depression or psychosis? That seems unlikely. Does email make us unhappy? For sure, and we are just at the beginning of understanding this complex relationship and the way that technology changes our moods and minds."
It's not just hardware though. A new specialist treatment centre to offer private therapy to patients suffering from addiction to videogames opened its doors in London this month, highlighting the growing (and highly controversial) issue of teenagers and young people becoming problematically dependent on gaming and other technology at the expense of their real lives beyond the screen.
Capio Nightingale Hospital is described as central London's only independent mental health hospital, and is launching a dedicated Young Person Technology Addiction Service, following a recent survey that claimed 63 per cent of 11-18 year olds felt addicted to the internet and many spending up to 10 hours a day using computer and videogames.
GAMING ADDICTION: Capio Nightingale offers new treatment centre for problem gamers
"For young people who are developing so quickly both neurologically and physically, the risks [of internet addiction] are magnified with an increase in agitation, hyper-arousal, an inability to concentrate and, ultimately, depression," reads the press release issued to announce the opening of the new London facility.
The centre has coined the phrase 'screenagers' and has developed what it calls a "tri-partite programme which can be tailored to meet the patient's needs" ranging from intensive in-patient care to day care, group and individual therapy "to increase off-screen social activities and to develop strategies to cope with online problems, in particular issues around cyber bullying."
"Mental health services need to adapt quickly to the changing worlds that young people inhabit, and understand just how seriously their lives can be impaired by unregulated time online, on-screen or in-game," says Dr. Richard Graham, Lead Young Person's Technology Addiction Consultant at Capio Nightingale Hospital.
"We have found that many of the existing services fail to recognise the complexity of these situations, borrowing from older models of addiction and substance misuse to very limited effect."
Capio is not the first British treatment centre for gaming addiction, however. Broadway Lodge in Weston-Super-Mare was the first clinic in the UK to treat clients specifically suffering from addiction to videogames and online gaming. TechRadar spoke with Peter Smith, a counsellor who specialising in treatment for gaming addiction at the facility, to find out more about the work they do.
BROADWAY LODGE: The UK's first gaming addiction specialists
While gamers and the games industry generally scoff at the very idea that the games they love to play and create could be harmful to a minority of users, Smith tells stories of family members "with really quite sad stories of young people who have been lost to them because of gaming… young people who had a lot of potential to do very well."
He tells the story of one particular patient who was a Cambridge graduate and a PhD student in microbiology, who, after finishing his studies, "just drifted home and was at home spending all of his time playing games… his mother was utterly distraught and so she contacted us."
"We also had a lady from Spain recently, who emailed to say she and her family were desperate for some help for her son, who would spend all day and well into the early hours of the morning playing games non-stop."
Smith notes that there are multiple problems that result from such addictive behaviours, including health issues ("there was one instance of a chap becoming anorexic as a result of not eating, which became secondary to playing the game"), relationship difficulties and, in worst cases, complete family breakdowns.
"So they don't eat round a table together, and it is not unusual for a mother to take food up to their child's room so they can continue gaming. There is also strong resistance by the gamer to go to family gatherings – weddings, birthdays, funerals and the like."
However, Smith is in no way in denial about the positive pleasures that games can give to teens and young people, in addition to the opportunities to make online friends when playing MMOs such as World Of Warcraft.
"Many, many people play games and get a lot of pleasure out of it. We don't want to demonise it. Games gave them an opportunity to succeed and feel confident and communicate in a language that gives them a kudos that normal socialising wouldn't," he says, though in a small minority of cases there is the possibility "that this can become a downward spiral..if someone has a bit of self-consciousness then games can fill or replace that gap."
"But because you are playing more games then you don't get the opportunity to improve that in real life, to the point where it becomes quite difficult for you to feel confident about meeting people face to face."
Recovery strategies
Capio Nightingale Hospital asks problem gamers and potential tech addicts an initial 10 questions to help identify technology addiction, while Northampton University's Professor Nada Kakabadse thinks that ICT addiction has, to date, been treated by policy makers as "a kind of elephant in the room – everyone sees it but nobody wants to acknowledge it.
"If society is truly concerned with quality of life, then the need for serious discussion concerning the impact of ICT on employee work practises and work-life balance is now critical," she argues, stressing that there is an urgent need for new laws and regulatory policies to deal with the consequences of techno-addiction.
Kakabadse warns that, should the courts not recognise addiction to work-related technology as a compensable form of employer or manufacturer neglicence, they soon, issuing the stark warning to companies that: "The only guarantee is that ICT addiction and techno-stress are on the increase. It's best to deal with them before they deal with you."
And as for personal use of your iPhone or your 'CrackBerry', she adds: "Just think before you click! Before you send that next batch of emails or rush to connect with all those others [online]. Is this volume necessary? Could you connect in a more socially uplifting way?"
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Review: Canon EOS 550D
The Canon EOS 550D is not quite Canon's highest-spec'd consumer digital SLR, but it still packs a mighty punch.
The EOS 550D sits just below the EOS 50D and the more professionally orientated EOS 7D in Canon's rather cluttered product line-up, but in some ways it trumps these higher-spec'd cameras.
For example, the EOS 550D packs in more megapixels than the EOS 50D (18Mp versus 15.1) and offers more sophisticated HD video features, with the ability to manually control exposure.
Of course, Canon is not Father Christmas, so you're not getting an EOS 7D on the cheap here.
The 550D lacks the 7D's bullet-proof alloy construction and lags behind in the speed stakes. While the EOS 550D can shoot at 3.7 frames per second in Continuous Shooting Mode, it's restricted to 34 JPEG images, or six RAW files – so sports and action photographers might want to look elsewhere.
But don't get us wrong; while the EOS 550D is not a professional-spec SLR, the keen photographer will still get a lot of bang for their buck.
This is an ideal DSLR for the serious amateur or somebody wanting to upgrade from an entry level model.
The 550D also puts a lot of pressure on Nikon to respond in kind; the Nikon D300s, while a sturdy and impressive stills SLR, lacks the megapixel count and the sophisticated HD movie options of the EOS 550D – and a D300s with kit lens will cost you several hundred quid more than the Canon.
Then there's the Nikon D90, but again it's looking a bit dated compared to the EOS 550D.
The same goes for the Sony Alpha range, though you can pick up some great Micro Four Thirds hybrids, such as the Olympus PEN E-P2 and the Panasonic Lumix GF1, for a similar price to the 550D.
That said, the 550D still appears to have more sophisticated HD video-editing functions than either of these Micro Four Thirds hybrids. Conventional DSLR lenses tend to be cheaper too, and come in more flavours.
The feather in the EOS 550D's cap is that it offers full HD mode, rather than just standard HD – 1,920 x 1,080 pixels versus 1,280 x 720.
And as you'd expect the EOS 550D works with the full range of EOS lenses. Just as well, as the supplied kit lens is a bit of a let down, but more on this later.
Despite lacking the tough alloy frame of the 7D, the build quality of the EOS 550D is pretty good.
The plastic chassis manages to feel stiff and sturdy without being heavy, and the EOS 550D is certainly lighter and easier to lug around than a more pro-spec'd camera.
The ergonomics and menu layout are generally good too. The three-inch rear LCD is easy to read and manipulate in all but the poorest light, coming as it does with a resolution of 1,040,000 pixels.
This rear LCD is also a big help when recording and previewing moves in Live View mode. The top viewfinder is a bit small in comparison to the rear LCD; we had to squint through it a bit, and it's not the greatest aid to composition if, like this reviewer, you are cursed with a big nose.
Otherwise the various dials and buttons are well laid out and easy to manipulate, and it's nice to have a dedicated ISO button.
The EOS 550D strikes the perfect balance between the ease of use of an entry level Canon SLR and a more pro-spec'd model like the 7D; we're impressed.
The top mode dial looks a bit crowded, mainly because Canon's still insisting on squeezing on all those dumbed-down exposure presets that you get on beginner DSLRs (portrait, landscape, and so on). We reckon the boffins have got room for about three more icons before the whole wheel fills up!
It's not a big problem, but the clutter makes it easy to fail to notice the movie mode icon at the end and the extra CA (Creative Auto) mode, introduced with the EOS 50D.
So we've mentioned the 18-megapixel sensor, but what difference does this make to the camera in practice?
While it's an APS C-CMOS sensor rather than full-frame, it's an impressive piece of circuitry.
Detail and resolution are really up there and although you probably don't 'need' a couple of extra million pixels on an amateur DSLR, it's still good to have all that power on tap.
Just remember that to make the most of all that extra sensor resolution you'll need to shoot in RAW, and get some extra lenses. The EOS 550D will typically be sold in a kit with an 18-55mm IS lens, as with our review sample, and this lens doesn't do the rest of the camera justice.
It's OK as an every-day lens when you've left your camera bag at home, and focuses quickly and quietly, but you do notice some distortion – edge definition could be better and there's some chromatic aberration.
You really need a couple of extra lenses, for example a wide angle and telephoto/superzoom, to enable the EOS 550D to reach its full potential.
Cough up for some good glass and you'll be rewarded with some lovely images from this camera. Shooting in RAW is important too, as JPEGs taken with EOS DSLRs tend to be on the soft side – this is not just a quirk of the EOS 550D, it's a characteristic of Canon DSLRs across the board.
Allied to the beefy sensor is the powerful ISO performance. High ISOs are hardly headline news on consumer DSLRs these days, but the EOS 550D really does score 10 out of 10 in this area.
As our test shots reveal, ISO 800 and 1600 are perfectly usable on a day to day basis.
This is actually saying a hell of a lot, and it shows just how much Canon's light sensitivity technology has progressed over the last few years.
ISO 1600...
See full-res test image
You're pushing it at ISO 6400, but considering the EOS 550D gives you a chunk of change from a grand, it's an astonishingly good performance. Noise is really well controlled throughout the range and colours only start to smear when you push the ISO to the kind of extreme levels that you rarely need to resort to.
ISO 3200...
See full-res test image
We're impressed, as being able to ramp up the ISO without worrying about ugly noise gives you so much more flexibility – not only in terms of light sensitivity but also in terms of getting faster shutter speeds.
Canon's really thrown the gauntlet down to its rivals here and the EOS 550D makes the (more expensive) Nikon D300s look like yesterday's camera when it comes to ISO.
In terms of exposure and metering, there's plenty to commend too. As mentioned, you must shoot in RAW to get maximum detail, tonality and crispness from your shots, but changing from JPEG to RAW (or JPEG and RAW) is child's play on the EOS 550D – it's a very logical and well-laid-out camera.
The 550D includes something called iFCL metering, which also appears on the semi-pro EOS 7D.
Without getting too technical, iFCL is based on a 63 zone dual-layer sensor designed to complement the 19-point AF.
By taking into account the colour and luminosity surrounding chosen AF points, the new system claims to deliver more accurate exposures, even in difficult lighting situations.
Since the metering sensor has a colour measurement function, exposure errors and focus errors caused by different light sources are minimized.
Canon claims this makes iFCL-equipped SLRs ideal for scenes with extreme difference in brightness such as brightly lit scenes or backlit scenes; the camera balances exposure of the main subject at the background, and exposures are not overly influenced by bright areas in the shot.
As with a lot of this hyped-up technology, it was hard to see a huge difference in day-to-day camera performance, but there's no doubt that our EOS 550D coped well with brightly lit scenes. Not that there was a huge amount wrong with the EOS metering system anyway, and so long as you get some extra lenses and shoot in RAW you'll be more than happy with the images produced by this camera.
Another big selling point of this camera is the enhanced HD movie recording mode.
While it's great to be able to shoot in full, rather than standard HD mode, and manually adjust exposure, it's not perfect.
It can take the contrast detect autofocus a while to lock onto the subject, and it doesn't feel as quite as slick and polished as the HD movie recording on comparatively priced Panasonic cameras, for example.
As our test movie reveals, the quality of the HD movies recording is impressive, with accurate colour rendition and motion tracking.
Even though it was only announced fairly recently, we're already seeing the EOS 550D discounted to around £740 with the 18-55mm kit lens, which makes it an extremely good buy.
While the lens is pretty basic, the camera itself is built to an extremely high standard, and is replete with helpful features that you normally only get on DSLRs costing several hundred pounds more.
We liked:
It's worth buying the EOS 550D just for the astonishingly good high ISO performance and sophisticated full HD movie recording; throw in cutting-edge metering and a quality 18-megapixel sensor capable of recording exquisitely detailed shots, and you've got a killer deal.
While the EOS 550D is a great upgrade from an entry level DSLR, it would also make a great first SLR, as it's very easy to use. Considering how much camera you're getting for the money, we predict it will convince a lot of Nikon and Sony DSLR users to make the switch.
We disliked:
The lens is a let down after the camera, but you can't have everything for just over £700.
It's not necessarily a bad lens, just cheap and basic, and it doesn't do the rest of the camera justice. Apart from this we're struggling to come up with many downsides.
OK, HD movie recording could be slicker, the top dial has more icons than a Greek Orthodox church and the optical viewfinder is cramped, but these are niggles rather than deal breakers.
Verdict:
The EOS 550D is something of a triumph. Shoot in RAW, invest in some decent back-up lenses and spend time studying the various exposure modes and options, and the EOS 550D will reward you with pro-quality images at a mass-market price.
And you'll be able to record quality HD home movies too. What's not to like?
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Exclusive: Vodafone: O2 still a problem network
Vodafone has once again criticised O2's data network following a recent interview with O2 CTO Derek McManus.
The CTO told Mobile Today that the problem with creating robust networks to carry all the date generated by smartphones is an ongoing issue:
"'The capacity problem isn't going to go away. It's a positive challenge. How do you ensure you have coverage?"
Vodafone, fresh from being announced as the fastest network in the UK in a recent survey, sent a statement to TechRadar to press its own claims as the place for data:
"It's extraordinary to see that O2's CTO has admitted that network capacity is a problem that won't go away for them. We have robust and reliable capacity which is why even O2's customers recognise us as the best network," said Mairead Cullen, Head of Network for Vodafone in the UK and Ireland.
Smartphone demand
"We have seen a great demand for smartphones, including the iPhone, from customers who insist on an outstanding experience.
"Vodafone has continually invested in the UK's best network to make sure our customers are confident that they can make calls, send texts, download music or search the internet whenever they need to."
While Vodafone has invested in elements like Sure Signal to boost indoor 3G signal and has also been awarded British Standard Certification for the reliability of its network, there's no public data to show O2's customers have been moving to Vodafone.
O2 has one of the lowest churns (people leaving the network) in the industry, and Matthew Key of Telefonica O2 Europe previously said: "We are seeing absolutely no evidence of customers leaving us to go back to Orange or Vodafone who had previously come to us from them to buy an iPhone."
O2 declined to comment to TechRadar over Vodafone's statement.
The war of words shows no sign of abating, as all networks invest and develop infrastructure to maintain data to users.
O2 has recently completed a £30m investment in London networks in order to improve its service, and with T-Mobile and Orange merging in the near future (and 3 making continued efforts into data provision) the constant moaning of the British public about data failure could soon be a thing of the past.
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Chelsea vs Man Utd to launch Sky 3D in the UK
Sky 3D is coming to homes and pubs in the UK 3rd April, with Chelsea vs Man Utd the first game to be available to the public shown in 3D.
The day also marks the launch of the Sky 3D channel in homes, but this will not be showing the match – merely a showreel of selected 3D footage.
After the Chelsea vs Man Utd game, Sky has vowed to show five more games in 3D and only in pubs before the end of the season – although these are to be confirmed.
Non-Premiership fans, however, will be pleased to learn that the Coca-Cola Football League Play-Off Finals from Wembley Stadium at the end of May.
Speaking about the 3D channel, Brian Lenz, Sky's Director of Product Design and TV Product Development, explained: "It's fitting that one of the biggest games of the season will be the launch pad for our pioneering Sky 3D service. With 3D, seeing really is believing, so it's great news that over a thousand pubs across country will be able to show the magic of 3D to their customers."
Passive tech in pubs
Sky has struck a deal with LG to supply 'over a thousand' pubs in the UK with 3D TVs, which use the cheaper passive technology to create the illusion.
Both active and passive 3D TVs are compatible with the channel but it makes sense that the cheaper glasses are provided in pubs.
Sky previewed the 3D channel earlier this year to select members of the public and journalists, including TechRadar.
Although the 3D channel in the home will be a showreel to begin with, Sky is hoping to bring movies, sport, documentaries, entertainment and arts content later in the year.
The channel will initially be available for free for customers who subscribe to Sky's top channels and HD pack.
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Review: Samsung PS50B550
Few plasma TVs make it to these pages these days simply because there aren't many out there. Gas screens now account for less than a tenth of flatscreen sales, but the technology itself is still very impressive.
The Samsung PS50B550 carries on that tradition by combining pin-sharp Blu-ray pics with general viewing functions and at a cracking low price.
Features
Its rose-black frame may well be luscious, but the PS50B550 is distinctly barren when compared to other TVs from the brand. With no kind of internet connectivity or wireless streaming, the PS50B550 doesn't have much going for it aside from the bigscreen plasma picture quality so beloved of home cinema aficionados.
Arguably most important of this set's features is its 18-bit processing, which promises to extend the screen's colour palette. That goal is helped by Samsung's Wide Colour Enhancer 2, that's designed to improve the plasma panel's reproduction of reds, as well as giving a more lifelike look to greens and blues.
Also noteworthy is a thick film across the glass panel that stops reflections of ambient light without causing any double images.
Ease of use
The use of simple hi-res graphics make the PS50B550's onscreen menus appear much improved compared to earlier Samsung TVs. The set searches for, finds and structures all digital TV correctly and remarkably quickly, too.
Aping Sony's XrossMediaBar in design is the channel list, which floats a translucent roster of programme details. It's also possible to assign a few favourite TV channels to a button on the remote, a useful feature, given Freeview's evergrowing list of channels. An Info button reveals a basic synopsis and an option to see what's on next.
The PS50B550 likes Blu-ray almost too much. It automatically selects the HDMI port a BD player is attached to and assigns it special Anynet+ status. But it defaults to it far too easily; try playing your Xbox 360 using another HDMI and you'll find that the TV often returns you to the Blu-ray player without any prior warning. It's then a fuss to find your way back. Switch off the Blu-ray deck altogether and the Anynet+ then has to disconnect.
Media playback from a USB stick is also a bit of a fudge: the software's just not very intelligent. Once chosen on the input switcher, you then have to select music or photo, before choosing the file. It's long-winded and without any support for video files – or any kind of PC streaming – the PS50B550 risks being deemed a dinosaur.
As well as the input switcher being sluggish and having a mind of its own, commands issued from the remote are too often ignored or cause the system to freeze for a few seconds. Navigating around this TV is not quite as slick as it should be.
Picture
Despite some deep blacks and excellent shadow detailing from our test disc of District 9, it's the almost total lack of blur that makes the PS50B550 such a special screen. As Wikus and Christopher race around the titular slums there's not a blur or judder in sight, while colour saturation is spot on.
Inside the gloomy blacks and blues of the spacecraft there's plenty of detail, though it's not always perfect; a fast zoom across the Johannesburg skyline does cause some judder, while some of the handheld camera work looks rather soft. Close-ups in general do lack fine detailing, but the many heli-cam news report shots across the shanty town are pristine and free flowing.
DVDs and Freeview also hold up well. An episode of Doctor Who on BBC Three sees strong colours and great contrast lending the action significant depth, but the most startling aspect is just how spotless the images are. Freeview broadcasts are so impressive that you might be prompted to recall plasma's almost forgotten status as the only screen technology with all-round ability.
Sound
Audio isn't the PS50B550's strong point. Toggling between the provided presets for music, movies and clear voice are just about worth using, but SRS TruSurround HD doesn't blow the soundstage as wide as it promises.
It's ironic that Samsung, which is pushing its LED TVs as a whole new technology, also produces some of the best plasma televisions. In the PS50B550's case, it's also the maker of one of the best bigscreen TV pictures around; no gimmicks, no fuss – just smooth and enjoyable hi-def with fabulous colours, deep blacks and spotless pictures from every source.
LCD and LED TVs may be slimmer and come loaded with extra features, but this 50in plasma is better and cheaper, although it can't quite match LG's 50PS7000 for maximum versatility and value.
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ITV has 'no plans' for YouTube and Hulu
An ITV executive has come out saying that the broadcaster has 'no plans' to strike a deal with either YouTube or Hulu.
The news comes after it was found that ITV and Hulu weren't exactly seeing eye to eye when it came to splitting advertising revenue on the video site.
This will come as a blow to VoD advocates who were hoping that ITV would agree terms with Hulu, meaning the site would finally launch in the UK.
Speaking at the MediaGuardian Changing Media Summit, ITV Director of Online and Interactive, Ben McOwen Wilson, noted: "We have no plans at present to do any deals with YouTube.
"We are following an ITV Player-led solution because we want to push our own platform as hard as we can. We enjoyed 180 per cent growth in terms of user-ship of ITV Player last year,"
Canvas and beyond
It will be an uphill struggle if ITV do decide to go it alone. Although the broadcaster has archived TV shows on VoD platform SeeSaw, YouTube has strengthened its position in the market with deals in place with Channel 4 and Five.
And while Hulu may not be in the UK yet, the only thing stopping it was ITV and its advertising demands.
Now it has effectively pulled out of any deals, Hulu may well go ahead and launch in the UK without the broadcaster's support.
"Hulu is a major success in the US but the UK TV market is a different place," said Wilson.
With the BBC pushing ahead with its Project Canvas plans, it will be very interesting to see how ITV's autonomous decision pans out.
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Review: Manhattan Plaza UPM
The Manhattan Plaza UPM has a similar spec to the Technomate TM3500 D+ USB PVR, combining an embedded multicam reader with PVR upgradeability.
It's looks dated, but we like the silvery curve of buttons on the fascia and four-figure display that shows channel number and time.
At the rear are an LNB loopthrough, UHF loopthrough (unused), a single Scart with RGB and composite support and a composite video output. For separate audio there's a choice of stereo phonos or S/PDIF.The remote is well laid out and easy to grip, but could do with fewer than 56 buttons.
Fast blind scanning
There's support for all forms of DiSEqC and USALS control. An installation wizard can be used to configure one satellite only at a time, or you can perform three scanning modes – automatic using a transponder database, individual transponder scans and blind search – looking for FTA, encrypted or just TV or radio channels. Blind searches are fast (10 minutes for Hot Bird) and you can search by polarisation or within a symbol rate range.
Channels can be moved, deleted, renamed and searched for. Eight favourites lists can be created, and organised by transponder, network or encryption using the remote keys. A seven-day EPG shows a grid for six channels at a time, skippable day by day, with synopses.
Attach a flash stick or hard drive to the USB port under a flap on the front and you can record one channel at a time (while you watch another if it's on the same transponder) and pause live TV creating a buffer after you press pause.
You can fast-forward and rewind at up to 20x normal speed, set bookmarks and a there's a neat draggable progress bar. You can display JPEGs and MPEG-2 recordings from drives but, sadly, not MP3.
Picture quality is great, especially with RGB enabled. Recordings match the source and audio is crisp and clear.
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HTC announcing new phone at CTIA next week
HTC has looks very likely to announce a new mobile phone next week at the CTIA event in the US next week.
The official press materials from the event have been released, and contain this pretty concrete nugget of info:
"HTC will be showing a number of new and favorite HTC devices –including the recently debuted HTC HD2 on T-Mobile and an unnamed device that will be unveiled for the first time at CTIA."
HTC whispers
We've not heard anything about a new phone this side of the pond - but over in the US the HTC Incredible and the HTC Supersonic have both been rumoured and pictured for months.
But the Incredible, with its Snapdragon 1GHz processor, Android 2.1 OS and huge 3.7-inch screen, seems more likely as it was recently seen in FCC filings.
The bad news? This is likely to be a US modification of the HTC Desire, meaning no new phone launches over here for the foreseeable future.
But world domination for HTC means more phones, and given most of its recent ones have been corkers, we're fully behind whatever will be launched.
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Orange nabs Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 'exclusive'
Orange has told TechRadar it will be offering the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 - a pivotal handset from the company - on an exclusive deal.
Admittedly, this doesn't mean it will be stocking the X10 exclusively, but it will be the only network to offer it in white.
The Xperia X10 is set to be launched on a number of networks in the coming weeks, on the likes of Virgin Media and Vodafone.
What's in an exclusive?
While the white version of the Xperia X10 won't probably add a HUGE amount to the phone (read: nothing) it's still going to be free on selected price plans.
Of course, if you're with Orange and not a fan of a dirt-hungry colour, then you can also get it in black as well - but it's all about exclusive colours according to Orange.
It is also believed that Orange will be bringing the X10 mini on an exclusive deal as well (whether it be the phone or just a colour variant), with a UK release date likely to be around May or June.
We're excited about the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 coming out soon - not only does it have a huge four-inch screen and powerful processor, but it also has the TimeScape overlay that has the potential to be as cool as HTC's Sense UI.
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Review: Comag SL30/12
The Comag SL30/12 is also sold as part of a suitcase system, together with a 43cm dish, cable and accessories for £139.95. But how does it fare taken on its own merits?
Well, unlike the competition this is a free-to-air-only receiver, albeit one reasonably suited to Euro sat reception.
A 12V power supply makes it suitable for caravanners, which is clearly the intention in the spec, although you'll need to add a plug adapter if you use it abroad.
Appearance-wise, it's on the functional side, with only three operating buttons and two lights in evidence.
Simple spec
Connectivity is basic – a single LNB loopthrough, a single Scart with composite-only support, a separate composite output and stereo phonos. The remote is also bland-looking and can be slow to respond to commands.
Scanning abilities surpass expectations with DiSEqC and USALS and an Auto Scan feature that acts like a simplified version of blind search. You can't specify frequency increments or polarities, but it proved adept at finding transponders and reasonably fast too, taking 5.5 minutes to scan Astra 19.2°E.
Alternatively, you can scan individual transponders or FTA channels only and add transponders to the stored database. Scanning is quick, on the whole, and the tuner appears very sensitive.
Disappointingly, there's only memory capacity for 4,000 channels, which is rather low and you can create one favourites list only.
The EPG is also basic, displaying now-and-next info for selected channels by default, which can be expanded to show synopses or a complete schedule for the next seven days (where available) derived from DVB data.
Surprisingly, despite the comparative limitations of composite, pictures are actually sharp and audio is also clear using the phono options.
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Now Windows Phone 7 will have copy and paste
After all the talk about Microsoft deciding against popping copy and paste in Windows Phone 7 Series, that may change in the future.
Microsoft has explained that it thinks its users don't really want full copy and paste functionality, and has instead focused on smart linking email addresses and phone numbers in text.
But that might not be the case in future releases, according to gadget site I Started Something.
Delays
Admittedly using the old chestnut of 'a source close to the matter', the anonymous source states that copy and paste was withdrawn from the original release because it would have delayed the schedule.
But "the development team actually knows exactly how they will be implementing copy & paste in WP7S" so it might not be too long until it turns up.
Microsoft has made a big deal about not needing copy and paste for the new mobile OS, but this wouldn't be the first time it has said that something isn't important and later added it in to its suite.
We can't imagine how something that's been at the core of Microsoft's mobile OS for so long would be hard to implement - but we'll cut Ballmer some slack on this one and see where we are this time next year.
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Xbox 360 soon to support USB Storage
The Xbox 360 could soon support USB mass storage devices for game storage – allowing users to benefit from the proliferation of cheap and readily available memory sticks.
Joystiq has uncovered discussions from Microsoft that point to the new functionality, which will help users ease their reliance on the device's hard drive.
Devices from 512MB to 16GB of storage will be supported, meaning that Xbox users can utilise increasingly cheap and available memory sticks for game and data storage.
Previously infeasible
"USB storage devices may, however, have far greater memory capacity than MUs [Memory Units], and may therefore support previously infeasible operations-such as installation of a full disc-based title," reads the document.
Joytiq also points out that by creating a cap of 16GB, Microsoft is not going to impact on its lucrative sale of hard drives for the console.
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Weird Tech: iPhone app measures length and intensity of 'relations'
A basic calorie-counting and timer application has found itself at the centre of an iPhone/sex/internet keyword perfect storm this week.
It's all thanks to the app being given a catchy name - the Bedometer - and declared the very latest in bedroom activity (sex) monitoring tools.
According to the ever-reliable Sun newspaper, the app was invented by Livvy Thompson, 25, in an effort to get her "lazy" boyfriend to take a bit more interest in the thrilling female hobby of calorie-counting - by measuring the "intensity" and length of each bed-based period of sexy-exercise and how much energy their fumblings consumed.
It does so by being placed on the bed, then using the iPhone and iPod Touch's accelerometer. We're sure it's extremely accurate.
It sounds like it's going to be extremely accurate, possibly even a medically certifiable health device. The Bedometer app's up on the Apple Store for 59p. Presumably Apple skipped or at least toned down its usual rigorous testing processes for this one.
Horse weight conundrum solved (estimated)
Meanwhile, fans of Google's Android operating system have some astonishingly fashionable and aspirational lifestyle apps of their own to play with, such as the incredibly useful Estimate Horse Weight.
We doubt The Sun will be mentioning this, not even in the sports section. Estimate Horse Weight by Equine Form may come in extremely handy if you ever need a rough approximation of how much a horse weighs, with the Android app guessing how heavy your horse - or a neighbour's horse or a horse on TV (the fun never stops) - is by extrapolating data based on its height and girth.
TARGET WEIGHT: Or, to save time, put the horse in a bath and measure the weight of the displaced water
The possibilities for roughly estimating the weights of horses are limitless. Who says Android hasn't got many fun apps?
Ben's truth - stranger than fiction
Those of you on low-bandwidth devices will have to forgive us for doing a video-based update again this week, but we must - the whole internet is reverberating from gasps of amazement at footage of the Bill Paxton pinball machine.
Manufactured by established awesome-thing-maker Ben Heck, who usually shrinks Xbox 360s into
small cases and puts keyboards onto things you wouldn't normally expect to have keyboards on them, Bill Paxton Pinball is the culmination of five years of work, and incorporates lines of Paxton dialogue as well as images of the star.
MICHAEL BIEHN INVADERS: Then we'll have a go on Sigourney Weaver Tennis
Ben's Paxton Pinball photo gallery is online here, if you're a Bill-loving billionaire looking for the ultimate in Bill merchandise to place in your Bill Paxton gallery.
BREAKING: Finger over lens "Could be space jellyfish" says desperate journalist
Google's Street View is once again proving its worth as a global slow-news-day saviour, with Suffolk news source EADT24 bravely reporting sightings of a "UFO" via the reliable medium of (a) an email from a reader and (b) Google Street View.
Anyone who's spent any time at all leafing through Google's voyeur service looking for friends smoking on pavements will know that anomalies, apparitions, nightmarish disjointed faceless zombies and strange lights and smudges in the sky are actually the norm in Street View Land.
LADYBIRD OR MOTH: Or it might, at a push, be a hang-glider
We'd be much more thrilled to see a headline along the lines of "Non-distorted image discovered in Google Imaging Service" than some photo of a bird or fly being jazzed up as a UFO by someone in
a hurry to get their word-writing quota done for the day.
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Review: GlideTV Navigator
Media PCs exist in a tricky limbo between the PC and the set-top box – do you choose a full remote keyboard with a built-in mouse or trackball, or a wand-shaped remote control, perhaps with a built-in trackball?
The GlideTV Navigator is another approach from the PC side, a touch-pad mouse that fits your hand and provides essential functions along with shortcuts to your favourite applications and websites. It also works with the PS3, but not the Xbox 360.
The Navigator is operated by your right-hand's thumb, and the central touchpad is also clickable as your left mouse button. It's surrounded by eight buttons that operate as cursor keys and the ESC, Enter, Backspace and right mouse buttons. There's also a search button, volume and playback controls, and a power button if your PC is set to power up via USB command. Finally, the Glide TV button activates the Glide TV Navigator software.
Remote-in-a-cup
It fits into a small recharging cup and communicates with your PC by the 2.4GHz wireless dongle. It's easy to hold, but unless you have large hands it's a little too large to reach all the buttons comfortably without shifting it around.
The touchpad itself takes some getting used to, and the cursor can shoot off-target just as you click a button. The playback buttons work with applications including Windows Media Player/Media Centre, and VLC, provided they obey the standard keyboard shortcuts like using the Spacebar to pause/play – so it won't work with BBC iPlayer.
You can set up the Navigator software to quickly access favourite applications and websites, although it's easiest to do this with a standard keyboard and mouse. Certainly it's a simple way to perform a lot of basic tasks like web-browsing, playing files and changing channels, as you do with a media PC.
You can scroll around pages using the edges of the touchpad. However, the final judgement is very personal. It's too large and a little tricky to control – I prefer a trackball and trigger buttons to a touchpad.
On the other hand, it makes it possible to abandon my large wireless keyboard/trackball combo for most tasks, and I can even log in using soft keyboard.
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Google launches smart rescheduler for calendars
Google has announced the launch of a new scheduling tool for its popular Google Calendar product which should make it easier to schedule get-togethers.
Principally designed for meeting organisation, the 'Smart Rescheduler' has launched in Google Labs, and treats the thorny problem of finding out when everybody is available like it would an internet search.
"On the Google Calendar team, we've noticed that when people talk about scheduling they say things like "I'm trying to find a time" or "let's search for a new date", explains Google's Ken Norton.
"We wondered what would happen if we treated calendaring more like a search problem.
"Just as Google search applies ranking algorithms to return the most relevant results from the web, we hoped we could rank meeting times based on criteria important to the person scheduling the meeting.
Google Smart Rescheduler
"Today we're launching the result of that experiment, a gadget called Smart Rescheduler, in Google Calendar Labs.
"Once you enable the Lab, you can find a new time for an event simply by clicking on a link.
"Our schedule search algorithm will return a ranked set of the best candidate dates and times based on the calendars others have shared with you."
Google is, of course, desperately trying to wrest market share from Microsoft, particularly from businesses – who pay for services plus support.
The fruit of the work being done by Google to boost their cloud based productivity tools – like calendar – also benefits the consumers who are not paying for the services.
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Virgin Media to show 200Mbps broadband at Ideal Home Show
The Ideal Home show will boast the first ever public display of a 200Mbps broadband service in the UK, with Virgin Media using the event to showcase the next step in its fibre optic network.
Virgin Media has already established itself at the cutting edge of Britain's move to superfast broadband, utilising its fibre optic network to offer the current top-line 50Mbps, with a 100Mbps service due to arrive soon.
But the Ideal Home Show, starting at the weekend, will get a glimpse at what 'ultrafast' 200Mbps broadband, four times the fastest available in the UK at the moment, with Virgin Media connecting Earl's Court to its network to display the technology to show off its forthcoming service.
Connected home
Ashley Stockwell, Executive Director, Brand and Marketing at Virgin Media said, "Ultrafast broadband like our 200Mb service, will enable a whole household to enjoy cutting edge entertainment, not just via computers, but through an array of gadgets all over the home.
"By pushing the boundaries of broadband in the UK we hope to drive a change in the way Brits enjoy and experience digital entertainment and exciting new services."
Interestingly, Virgin Media will also be showing off 3D technology at the Ideal Home show – presumably to remind people that Sky are not the only company pushing next generation television – and start to reveal a few more details of its next generation TiVo toting boxes.
"The Ideal Home of the Future presentation will also give a taster of the types of exciting new services Virgin Media is planning to offer, including its next generation TV service using TiVo, as well as the option to move content from TV screens, to computer screens and even to mobile phones."
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